


One Man's Trash

by SharkGirl



Series: Home [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Abandonment, Alternate Universe - Animal Hybrids, Animal Hybrid AU, Child Abandonment, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Past Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 15:26:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7058098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkGirl/pseuds/SharkGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kenma is a hybrid.  Part-cat and part-human.  Kuroo doesn't know anything about Kenma’s owner, only that he abandoned him and left him for dead sixteen years earlier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Man's Trash

**Author's Note:**

> These keep getting longer!!
> 
> Here's a little bit about Kuroo and Kenma~ Enjoy ^^  
> A few people requested this, so I didn't want to gift it to just one! Forgive me!! TT^TT
> 
> Thanks to my beta, indevan, for reading this over~

Call it counterproductive, but Kuroo always stopped by the fast food place for breakfast after he finished working out at the gym.  It was a tradition, really.  He’d get a combo for himself – a second if Bokuto had joined him for a morning workout – and two freshly-baked apple pies.

The cashier usually had his order bagged up and ready to go before he made it to the counter.  That probably should have been a sign that he should change things up, but Kuroo figured ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’

He whistled a random tune as he walked home, his bag in one hand and his extra-large coffee in the other.  He could really use the caffeine today.  He was going for his masters in Health Sciences and had seventeen articles to read and one monster of a paper to write, so he needed all the help he could get.  Especially if he was going to make it to work on time that evening.

Kuroo put the bag in his mouth, holding the fold between his teeth as he fished around his pocket for his key.  He found it and unlocked the door.  Unsurprisingly, the lights were still off and the apartment looked vacant.

“Kenma?” he called, voice muffled by the bag.  He set his keys and coffee cup down before grabbing their breakfast and heading toward their shared bedroom.  There, in the middle of the queen-sized bed, was a lump beneath the blankets.  “Kenma…”

Kuroo placed the takeout bag on the nightstand and sat next to the lump.

“It’s almost nine.”

He received a soft groan in reply.

“I brought breakfast.”

Another low noise.

“They had apple pies.” Kuroo smirked. That was one of two things Kenma couldn’t resist.

Slowly, a head poked out from beneath the covers, two cat ears twitching and folding back toward Kuroo when the taller man gave what he thought was a quiet chuckle.

“Kuro,” he greeted and then yawned, the sharp points of his canines poking out as he closed his mouth.  He lifted a hand and rubbed at one of his eyes before looking up at Kuroo expectantly.

After a moment, Kenma raised his eyebrows.

“The pies?”

“Oh, right.” Kuroo reached for the bag, pulling out the two small cardboard boxes containing the warm pastries.  He held them forward and Kenma snatched them out of his hands, tearing one open and bringing the sweet treat to his mouth before chomping on the crust.  He pulled it away when he heard Kuroo laugh, his glare softened by the crumbs stuck to his lips.

“What?”

“You’re just cute,” Kuroo said, ruffling his two-toned hair and scratching him behind the ears.

Kenma was a hybrid.  Part-cat and part-human.  He, like all other hybrids, had been created in a lab and sold.  Kuroo didn’t know anything about Kenma’s owner, only that he’d abandoned him and left him for dead sixteen years earlier.  That’s when Kuroo found him, half-starved and hidden behind a pile of trash outside of his parents’ building.

Kenma devoured the first pie and moved onto the next one.

“Those good?” Kuroo asked, cocking his head to the side.

“The best,” Kenma replied automatically, downing the second and then licking his fingers clean.  He pushed the empty containers to the side and made to burrow under the blankets again, but Kuroo stopped him.

“No you don’t.”

“Why?”

“It’s time to get up.”

“But I’m still sleepy,” Kenma said, blinking up at him.

“You slept for ten hours…”

“That’s not true.” Kenma got on all fours and pushed away from the bed, stretching his back. “You know I don’t sleep through the night.”

Kuroo knew that all too well.  Kenma, being a cat hybrid, was somewhat nocturnal and Kuroo would often wake up to an empty bed in the middle of the night and find Kenma sitting by the window, staring outside.  But his animal instincts weren’t the only thing keeping Kenma up.  There were also the nightmares.

“I know, but at least stay up with me?” Kuroo asked, jutting out his lower lip.  “I have a paper to write and you know I concentrate better when you’re next to me.” He batted his eyelashes in one last attempt to curry Kenma’s favor.

“You’re gross.” Kenma rolled his eyes and covered Kuroo’s face with his hand.

“Is that a ‘yes’?” He reached up and took Kenma’s smaller hand in his, rubbing his palm in soothing circles with his thumbs and kissing the tips of his fingers.  They smelled like apple pie and Kuroo was sure, if he darted his tongue out to taste them, they’d be sweet.

“Fine.” Kenma heaved a sigh.

“Thank you, Ken-Ken-”

“Don’t.”

“Aww, but I thought you liked when I called you-”

“Kuro, I’ll go back to sleep right now,” Kenma said with as much venom as he could muster, which, honestly, wasn’t a lot.

“Sorry, sorry.” Kuroo wrapped his arms around him and held him close, placing a kiss on the crown of his head.  “I’m going to hop in the shower real quick.”

“Good,” Kenma replied, his breath warming Kuroo’s chest as he spoke. “You stink.”

“I did just finish working out, you know.”

“You still stink.”

“Love you, too.” Kuroo shook his head and pulled back. “I’ll be out in a second. Don’t go back to sleep.”

Ten minutes later, Kuroo was washed and changed.  He walked back into their room and was greeted by the sight of a familiar lump.

“Kenma…” He sighed and threw his towel into the hamper, his damp locks drooping down.  “Kenma.” He sat on the edge of the bed and nudged the lump.  It moved a bit and then settled.  “Ken-Ken…” he drawled, hoping that would get him aggravated enough to wake up again.

But there was nothing.  No response.

He frowned at the pile of blankets, giving it another poke.  Kenma stirred, but rolled away from him.  Kuroo couldn’t see it, but he could tell by the indignant harrumph.  That and, when the sheets moved, Kenma’s tail had poked out of his protective barrier.

Kuroo stroked the black and gold dappled fur.  It was so soft.

“Kenma…” he leaned forward and breathed where he thought the other’s ears might be.  “You promised you’d stay up with me.”

The other man let out an annoyed groan.

“Ken-Ken…”

“Kuro…” Kenma mumbled, but didn’t budge.

“C’mon, Kitten…” He did it.  He dealt his fatal blow.

There was a rustling of the sheets and then Kenma’s head popped out of his cocoon.

“It’s lonely without you.” Kuroo pouted, laying it on thick.

“You’re awful.”

“Awfully in love.” Kuroo fell back onto the bed, his head coming to rest in Kenma’s lap, still hidden beneath the blankets.

“You’re gross.”

“You said that already.”

“Let’s go to the couch then,” Kenma said, obviously displeased with being moved from his favorite spot.

Kuroo got up and grabbed his breakfast off of the nightstand.

“I promise you can sleep on the couch while I write.”

“Okay…” Kenma was staring down at the sheets.

“What is it?”

“You didn’t give it to me.”

Kuroo blinked in surprise.

“Give you what?”

“…morning kiss.” Kenma was blushing and looking every which way, but at Kuroo.

“You were still asleep when I left.” Kuroo’s eyes softened as he knelt on the bed, his free hand coming to cup Kenma’s cheek.  “I’m sorry, Kitten.”

“I’ll forgive you if you do it now,” he said, wide golden eyes finally meeting Kuroo’s.

It was amazing how things had changed from when Kuroo had first found him.

Cat hybrids were rumored to be the more sensual of the breeds.  Birds were pretty to look at.  Dogs were bought for protection.  But cats…

Kuroo didn’t know about that sort of thing when he found Kenma, huddled up and trying to keep himself warm behind a dumpster.  The seven-year-old Kuroo had been sent down with the burnable trash, since the shoot was jammed and he wanted that allowance money.  He never expected that taking out the garbage would change his life forever.

Kenma shied away from him, going as far as to hiss and swipe at him as he approached.

“It’s okay…” he’d whispered, crouching down and reaching out to him.

“S-Stay away!” Kenma flattened himself against the brick wall.  His clothes were torn and filthy and he had smudges all over his exposed arms and face.  He shivered and Kuroo could almost hear the way his bones rattled.  He was so skinny.

“Hold on a second.” Kuroo got up and walked the familiar path to the convenience store.  His parents, proud of him for taking the initiative, had given him his ‘taking out the trash’ money before he left.  He walked up to the counter and put down a bill.  “One apple pie please.”

The clerk grabbed one of the hot pastries from behind the glass door of a warming box, putting it in a bag and handing it to Kuroo.  He thanked the man and ran back toward the alley, hoping the little cat boy hadn’t run away.

He was relieved to see that the boy with two-toned hair and cat ears was still there, said ears flat against his head and his tail wrapped around his shivering frame.

“Here.” Kuroo thrust the bag forward and the boy looked up at him, golden eyes confused.  “It’s not much, but it’s all I could afford.”  He pulled the bag back and opened it, taking the steaming pastry out so he could see.  “It’s tasty. You’ll like it.”  He held it out toward him again.

Hesitantly, Kenma reached forward, snatching the pie from his hands and sniffing it cautiously.  Kuroo could practically see the saliva pooling in his mouth.  It took only seconds for the small boy to wolf down the pie, licking his hands and lips when he was done.

“You’re a hybrid, right?” Kuroo asked, taking a seat beside him, ignoring the way the younger man drew away from him.  “I saw a show about you guys on TV,” he continued. “Kinda doesn’t seem fair.”

To his surprise, the cat boy moved a bit closer.

“What doesn’t?”

“I dunno.” Kuroo brought his knees to his chest and rested his folded arms on them. “Being created in a lab just so someone can buy you.”  He looked over at Kenma. “I’d probably break out.”

Kenma made a noncommittal noise and sat back against the wall.

“Is that what you did?” Kuroo asked. “Did you escape?”

“I was…” Kenma swallowed. “I was thrown away.”

“Oh.”

They sat in silence.

“If you want,” Kuroo spoke. “I can ask my mom and dad if you can stay with us.”

“Why would they let you keep me?” he asked, voice almost inaudible.

“Well, I wouldn’t be asking to ‘keep you’,” Kuroo snorted. “I’d be asking to help out a friend.”

“A…friend?”

“We can be friends, right?” Kuroo asked, cocking his head to the side.

“I’ve…never had a friend.”

“Aww man, friends are the best!” Kuroo cheered, startling him. “Like, you can talk about stuff and play games and, oh, you’ve got to meet my neighbor Bo. He’s kinda got this weird obsession with owls, but he’s a good guy.”

“Bo…” Kenma repeated.

“Yeah.” He grinned and then smacked himself on the forehead. “I almost forgot.” He held his hand out. “I’m Kuroo. Kuroo Tetsurou.”

“Kuro…”

“Yup.” He thrust his hand forward.

“I…” Kenma eyed Kuroo’s offered hand. “I don’t like to be touched.”

“Oh, sorry.” He withdrew his hand and hid it behind his back. “Um…that’s okay, ya know. Uh,” he paused. “What’s your name?”

“Kenma.”

“Kenma, huh?” Kuroo beamed. “That’s a nice name.”  He watched as the cat boy blushed.  “So, how about it?” He stood up and offered his hand.  “Our place is small, but it’s warmer than the alley.” He looked down at his hand and then remembered what the other had said.  “Oh yeah, sorry, I-”

“Okay.” Kenma reached out and took his hand, accepting his help up. “Thank you.” He blushed again. “Kuro.”

 

After Kuroo graduated from high school, he got his own place and invited Kenma to come with him.  They’d been living together ever since.

He’d started the morning and welcome home kisses as a sort of joke, but now, with Kenma in his lap, his arms wrapped around Kuroo’s neck and their lips and bodies pressed together so intimately, he was glad he’d suggested it all those years ago.

“Kuro…” Kenma breathed when they broke apart. “Your paper.”

“I know,” he replied, nuzzling the other’s soft ears. “Just a little longer.”

“You’re the worst.”

“You love it.”

“Yeah.”

Kuroo pulled back, brows raised.

“Shut up,” Kenma said.

“I didn’t say any-”

“You were thinking it.” He pouted.

“And what was I thinking?”

Kenma pursed his lips and looked away.

“If you think I’m going to complain about you being overly affectionate, you’re wrong.” Kuroo chuckled.  “I like this side of you.”

“That’s not it.”

“Then what?” Kuroo asked, combing his fingers through Kenma’s hair.

“I don’t want you thinking you fixed me.”

“Fixed you? There’s nothing wro-”

“I’m defective.”

Every so often Kenma would bring it up.  The reason he was abandoned.  Cats were supposed to exude sensuality.

“You were just a kid.”

“I still should have been able-”

“Kenma,” Kuroo warned, hating when the other beat himself up over it. “If you had been, we wouldn’t have met.”  He took a deep breath to calm himself down as he stroked Kenma’s ears lovingly. “And I’d hate that.”

“I’d hate it, too.”

“So, don’t feel bad.” He kissed his forehead and smiled. “Feel up to joining me on the couch while I read some riveting articles on health science?”

Kenma got up on his knees, bracing himself on Kuroo’s shoulders as he kissed his nose, following it with a quick swipe of his sandpaper tongue.

“Could I play my game?”  Golden eyes darted over to the handheld Kuroo had gotten him for Christmas years earlier.

Kuroo wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close.

“Fine.” He sighed, burying his face in his hair.  “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

“I’m not-”

“Just take the compliment, Kitten.”

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think and hit me up on tumblr [@jubesy](http://jubesy.tumblr.com)!


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